South Australian products to go on sale to more than 100 million people

30 May 2022
South Australia’s finest food, wine and beverage products have joined more than 50,000 businesses, across more than 30 countries, selling products available to purchase on Rakuten Japan, the country’s largest online retailer, with 1.4 billion global members.
 
A new ‘Tasting South Australia’ page on the Rakuten e-commerce site, which boasts more than 100 million users in Japan alone. The page showcases over 400 of South Australia’s premium food, wine and beverage products.
 
Nine South Australian exporters are being supported by the Department for Trade and Investment which has partnered with Rakuten Japan to help South Australian businesses grow their exports in this crucial market. Through the partnership, the Tasting South Australia page will provide consumers with the opportunity to purchase some of the state’s best beer, gin, wine, honey, seafood, sweets, spreads and pet food.
 
The campaign is a unique opportunity for South Australian food, wine and beverage companies to get their products in front of more than 100 million users of Japan’s largest e-commerce site.
 
Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and the fourth-largest e-commerce market with sales of $105 billion. Many consumers turned to online shopping in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic and are continuing that trend. Food, wine and beverage products are no longer confined to being sold within national borders. Rakuten presents an opportunity for South Australian exporters to enter a market renowned for high-quality, premium products.
 
South Australian companies that will feature their products on the Rakuten website as part of the Tasting South Australia page, include NovaFarms, Buzz Honey, Hither & Yon, Prohibition Liquor Co, Southern Kuya, Apiwraps and Pet Snacks [1].
 
Prohibition Liquor Co is one of the South Australian companies that features on the Tasting South Australia page. Wes Heddles, CEO and Co-Founder, said he jumped at the opportunity to promote his gin products to more than 100 million people.
 
“Thanks to the Department for Trade and Investment, for creating an opportunity to showcase South Australian businesses on Japan’s largest online shopping platform, Rakuten,” Mr Heddles said. 
 
“We saw Rakuten as the most premium opportunity to launch into Japan, as a sophisticated alcohol market and then use the sales data as market research to present our range to more traditional retailers; bars, bottle shops and restaurants, knowing what products are most popular.” 
 
Pet Snacks’ Anton Martynenko, Export and Administration Manager, believes being featured on the Rakuten e-commerce platform will ensure products enter the Asian market much quicker.
“With the increasing demand for premium petfood worldwide, Pet Snacks brand, represented by its flagship items manufactured out of sustainably sourced, high in protein raw materials, is naturally growing its distribution in the international Asian, European and American markets,” Mr Martynenko said.
 
“The opportunity to promote the pet treats on Rakuten, one of the largest online platforms in Japan, is expected to significantly facilitate and expedite entry into the Asian markets by Pet Snacks, raise customer awareness and appreciation of this premium product for their loved pets.”
 
The e-online platform represents 27 per cent of the e-commerce market share in Japan and is the largest marketplace in Japan offering e-commerce in fin-tech, communication service and digital content to its active users.
 
[1] Two South Australian companies did not wish to be named.